If someone you know has been arrested then you are probably needing to secure a bail bond in order to get them out of jail. Dealing with the court system can be a little more complicated than what television makes it out to be. Bail is basically an agreement that is between the courts and the accused. The accused, or the defendant, must agree to show up to all of the future court dates and in return, the court will agree to give back the defendant’s bail money after the case is finalized. For example, say bail is set at 10,000 dollars, if the defendant abides by all the agreed upon rules and comes to every court date, then he or she will receive that 10,000 dollars back at the end of the hearings, even if the case ends in a conviction. However, if they miss even one court date, they will immediately be forbidden from receiving any part of the 10,000 dollars back and usually a warrant is therefore issued for their arrest. If the defendant or the defendant’s family is not able to afford the bail amount then either, the defendant will remain in jail for the duration of the trial or they can go through a bail bondsman and a full-service bail bond company. There are several different kinds of bonds that can be issued. They are the following:
- Non-Arrest Bonds
Non-arrest bonds are pretty easy to understand. This is the kind of bond that would be issued in order to avoid any kind of jail time even while you wait for someone to pay the bond. The bonding company is responsible for getting your information and giving you a court date to tell you when you need to appear. Non-arrest bonds are typically what is requested when someone already has a warrant out for their arrest but has not been jailed yet. - Surety Bonds
This is when an agent will work with an insurance company who can provide the financial assistance for the bonds. If a bail bond is backed or secured by an insurance company it becomes known as a surety bond. If the defendant fails to meet the requirements, the insurance company will hold them liable to pay back the money. However, if they attend all court hearings, the court will pay the insurance company the bail bonds. - Property Bonds
If the defendant owns any kind of property then they might be allowed to use it as collateral instead of paying out cash. In these cases, a lien is put on the property and if the defendant doesn’t show up to a court date, the property can be sold by the courts. - Cite Out Bonds
If someone is caught in illegal activity, the officer that catches them has the power to be able to issue them a command to be seen in court rather than sending them directly to jail. This is generally what happens when a traffic policeman pulls you over for speeding or something similar. - Immigration Bonds
An immigration bond is issues if someone that is being detained is foreign and being held by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This kind of bond allows them to get released until the trial is finished. - Release on Own Recognition Bonds
A judge has the ability to release a defendant without setting bail when he or she sees fit. Typically this will only happen when the defendant is being accused of a small or low level crime and the nature of the crime and the person do not deem them a flight risk.
These are a few of the types of bonds that can be issued in different circumstances. If the family is unable to pay the bond, then securing a bail bond is usually the next step. This requires finding a company that will help you get your loved one out of jail. Securing agents usually make money by charging a bond premium. This means that you will only pay about 10 to 20 percent of the full amount of the bond. This is non refundable. So, whether you need non-arrest bonds or some other kind, sometimes securing the bail bond is the best option in order avoid risk of anything going wrong.
